Peppers of all shapes and colors are very frequently used in Romanian cuisine, inconceivable without broth accompanied by chili pepper, roast cubanelle, pickled ruffled pepper and all sorts of cooked dishes which get a unique flavor from pepper. Plus, peppers are rich in vitamins C and E, antioxidants and fibers. It’s a great idea to reserve a certain area of your garden to growing different kinds of peppers, which also look lovely together. We’ll tell you all about planting a pepper garden.

For the benefits of rotating cultures, for peppers the ideal plot is one where alfalfa, clover, peas, beans have been grown, but one with ancient cultures of root crops (celery, beet), onions, garlic or pumpkins.

The soil should be prepped in autumn. Every two years it should be fertilized with manure, 4 – 5 kilos/m2, then dug up at 8 – 10 inches. In spring, before planting, the soil should be well minced with a shovel and rake.

When and how to plant peppers

Pepper seedlings are planted this time of the year, between the 25th of April and 20th of May. But planting time depends on the weather of course, as the soil has to reach a 60 degrees temperature.

The seedling should be vigorous and have a flower bud grown.

There are more than one planting schemes. On a raised bed you can plant two rows, spacing them at 27 inches. Between the plants on a row you should leave 6 – 8 inches for bell peppers, 8 – 10 inches for ruffled pepper, 6 inches for cubanelle and 4 inches for chili pepper.

Planting a pepper garden. Caring for

Four – five days after planting, you should look to complete the empty places for the plants that didn’t make it and dig up the bed, mincing the soil well around the plants.

Peppers need to be watered right after planting to ensure fixation. Then leave them for two weeks without watering to allow the roots to set in better. After and until you see fruit appear, water them every 7 – 10 days, except when they bear a lot of flowers, when watering should be avoided. As they begin fruiting, peppers need a lot of water, so you should provide it every 5 – 6 days.

If you don’t have a too large garden, you can also trim each plant, cutting off the shoots and the top. This way, you will ensure an earlier and a richer harvest.

Planting a pepper garden. Harvesting

For bell peppers harvesting can begin in the first third of July and go on through the first third of October. Cubanelle and ruflled peppers are harvested between the second half of August and until rime fall.